Backyard Bug Hunt

MISSION BRIEF #4: BACKYARD BUG HUNT

"Shhh — I've found one. He's got stripes AND spots. Over."

Miki and Bella's latest Adventure Club mission is one you can run today, in your own backyard, local park, or even a nature strip. No safari required. Just two Adventurers, two walkie talkies, and a willingness to look closely.

🎯 THE MISSION

Find and identify 5 different bugs or insects in your chosen location. Call each sighting in to your partner on the walkie talkie — whisper only, we don't want to scare them away.

👥 YOUR ROLES

Choose roles before you start. Both are equally important.

SPOTTER
Eyes down, searching under leaves, around flower stems, between pavers, under rocks and logs. A magnifying glass is strongly recommended but not essential. When you find a bug, describe it clearly to your Scribe over the walkie talkie — colour, size, how many legs, any spots or stripes.

SCRIBE
On the walkie talkie, listening carefully. Repeat back each sighting ("Confirmed — one ladybug, red with black spots, over") and write it down on your Mission Report sheet. The Scribe is also the lookout for anything larger — birds, cats, friendly dogs.

⏱ MISSION TIME

20-30 minutes. If you're having fun, extend it. If a bug proves elusive, swap roles halfway through.

🌿 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

Depending on where you are and the time of year, you might spot: ladybugs, beetles, ants, butterflies, moths, caterpillars, bees, dragonflies, spiders (observe only, don't touch), snails, slaters/pillbugs, grasshoppers, crickets, worms, millipedes, centipedes. Count any insect or small creature — they all count toward your 5.

🛡 SAFETY FIRST

Observe only, never pick up. Some bugs sting, some bite, and some are protected. Admire them in their homes.

🧠 BONUS LEARNING

Pollinators (bees, butterflies) are essential for growing most of the food we eat. Decomposers (worms, slaters) are essential for healthy soil. Predators (spiders, ladybugs) keep garden pests in check. Every bug has a job. See if you can guess what each one you spot might be doing.

🏆 EARN YOUR BACKYARD BUG HUNTERS BADGE

Once your Adventurer has completed this mission, ask a parent or guardian to simply reply to any Adventure Club email with the words "Mission Complete — Backyard Bug Hunters" and the names of two bugs you spotted. We'll send your special badge within 24 hours.

No photographs of children are required. We trust you.

Not an Adventure Club member yet? Join free — your Membership Badge is waiting the moment you sign up, and new missions arrive every Friday.

[JOIN THE ADVENTURE CLUB — button]

Next Friday: Reef Divers 🐢 — yes, the ocean, in your lounge room.

Keep exploring,
The Mission Mates Team

Download The Backyard Bug Hunters Mission Report